CODE OF ETHICS OF

PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS
(Resolution No.435, 1997)
(Pursuant to Paragraph (e), Article II, of R.A No.7836 (Phil.
Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994)
 Preamble
Teachers are duly licensed professionals who
possesses dignity and reputation with high
moral values as well as technical and
professional competence in the practice of
their noble profession, and they strictly
adhere to, observe, and practice this set of
ethical and moral principles, standards, and
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 ARTICLE 1
(SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS)
Section 1. This code shall apply to
ALL TEACHERS in schools in the
Philippines

Section 2. Covers ALL PUBLIC and

PRIVATE school TEACHERS in all
educational institution at the pre-
school, primary, elementary, and
secondary levels whether academic,
vocational, special, technical, or
non-formal. Teacher-industrial
arts or vocational teachers and
all other persons performing
 ARTICLE II
(THE TEACHER AND THE STATE)

Section 1. The schools are the nurseries of

the future citizens of the state; each teacher
is a trustee of the cultural and educational
heritage of the nation and is under obligation
to transmit to learners such heritage as well
as to elevate national morality, promote
national pride, cultivate love of country,
instill allegiance to the constitution and for
all duly constituted authorities, and promote
obedience to the laws of the state.

Section 2. Every teacher or school official

 ARTICLE II
(THE TEACHER AND THE STATE)

Section 3. In the interest of the State and of

the Filipino people as much as of his own,
every teacher shall be physically, mentally
and morally fit.

Section 4. Every teacher shall possess and

actualize a full commitment and devotion to
duty.

Section 5. A teacher shall not engage in the

promotion of any political, religious, or other
partisan interest, and shall not, directly or
indirectly, solicit, require, collect, or receive
 ARTICLE II
(THE TEACHER AND THE STATE)
Section 6. Every teacher shall vote and
shall exercise all other constitutional
rights and responsibility.

Section 7. A teacher shall not use his

position or official authority or
influence to coerce any other person
to follow any political course of action.

Section 8. Every teacher shall enjoy

academic freedom and shall have
privilege of expounding the product of
his researches and investigations;
provided that, if the results are
 ARTICLE III
(THE TEACHER AND THE COMMUNITY)

Section 1. A teacher is:

-facilitator of learning and of the
development of the youth;
-render the best service by providing an
environment conducive to such learning and
growth.

Section 2. shall provide leadership and

initiative to actively participate in community
movements for moral, social, educational,
economic and civic betterment.

Section 3. shall merit reasonable social

recognition
 ARTICLE III
(THE TEACHER AND THE COMMUNITY)
Section 4. shall live for and with the
community
shall study and understand local customs and
traditions in order to have sympathetic attitude,
refrain from disparaging the community.

Section 5. shall help the school keep the

people in the community informed about the
school work and accomplishments as well as its
needs and problems.

Section 6. is intellectual leader in the

community,
shall welcome the opportunity to provide such
 ARTICLE III
(THE TEACHER AND THE COMMUNITY)

Section 7. Every teacher shall maintain

harmonious and pleasant personal and
official relations with other professionals,
with government officials, and with the
people, individually or collectively.

Section 8. A teacher posses freedom to

attend church and worships as
appropriate, but shall not use his
positions and influence to proselyte
others.
 ARTICLE IV
(THE TEACHER AND THE PROFESSION)

Section 1. Every teacher shall actively

insure that teaching is the noblest
profession, and shall manifest genuine
enthusiasm and pride in teaching as a
noble calling.

Section 2. Every teacher shall uphold the

highest possible standards of quality
education, shall make the best
preparations for the career of teaching,
and shall be at his best at all times and in
 ARTICLE IV
(THE TEACHER AND THE PROFESSION)

Section 3. Every teacher shall participate

in the Continuing Professional Education
(CPE) program of the Professional
Regulation Commission, and shall pursue
such other studies as will improve his
efficiency, enhance the prestige of the
profession, and strengthen his
competence, virtues, and productivity in
order to be nationally and internationally
competitive.
 ARTICLE IV
(THE TEACHER AND THE PROFESSION)

Section 4. Every teacher shall help, if

duly authorized, to seek support from
the school, but shall not make improper
misrepresentations through personal
advertisements and other questionable
means.

Section 5. Every teacher shall use the

teaching profession in a manner that
makes it dignified means for earning a
decent living.
 ARTICLE V
(THE TEACHER AND THE TEACHING
COMMUNITY)
Section 1. Professional loyalty, mutual
confidence, and faith in one another, self-
sacrifice for the common good, and full
cooperation with colleagues. Support one
another.

Section 2. refrain from claiming credit or

work not of his own, and give due credit
for the work of others which he may use.

Section 3. organize and leave to his

successor such records and other data as
 ARTICLE V
(THE TEACHER AND THE TEACHING
COMMUNITY)
Section 4. shall keep confidential
information concerning associates and the
school, and shall not divulge to anyone
documents which has not been officially
released, or remove records from files
without official permission.

Section 5. seek correctives for what may

appear to be an unprofessional and unethical
conduct of any associate. However, if there is
incontrovertible evidence for such conduct.

Section 6. submit to the proper authorities

 ARTICLE V
(THE TEACHER AND THE TEACHING
COMMUNITY)

Section 7. may apply for a

vacant position for which he is
qualified, provided that he
respects the system of selection
on the basis of merit and
competence, provided, further,
that all qualified candidates are
given the opportunity to be
considered.
 ARTICLE VI
(THE TEACHER AND HIGHER AUTHORITIES IN THE
PROFESSION)
Section 1. make an honest effort to
understand and support the legitimate
policies of the school and the administration
regardless of personal feeling or private
opinion and shall faithfully carry them out.

Section 2. shall not make any false

accusations or charges against superiors,
especially under anonymity. However, if
there are valid charges, he should present
such under oath to competent authority.

Section 3. transact all official business

 ARTICLE VI
(THE TEACHER AND HIGHER AUTHORITIES IN THE
PROFESSION)
Section 4. has a right to seek redress
against injustice to the administration and
shall raise grievances within acceptable
democratic processes. shall avoid
jeopardizing the interest and the welfare of
learners whose right to learn must be
respected.

Section 5. right to invoke the principle that

appointments, promotions, and transfer of
teachers are made only on the basis of merit
and needed in the interest of the service.
 ARTICLE VII
(SCHOOL OFFICIALS, TEACHERS, AND OTHER
PERSONNEL)
(SCHOOL OFFICIALS AND HIS
SUBORDINATES)
Section 1. at all times show professional
courtesy, helpfulness and sympathy
towards teachers and other personnel

Section 2. cooperative responsibility to

formulate policies or introduce important
changes in the system at all levels.

Section 3. School officials shall encourage

and attend the professional growth of all
teachers recommend them for promotion,
giving them due recognition for meritorious
performance, and allowing them to
 ARTICLE VII
(SCHOOL OFFICIALS, TEACHERS, AND OTHER
PERSONNEL)
(SCHOOL OFFICIALS AND HIS SUBORDINATES)

Section 4. No school officials shall dismiss

or recommend for dismissal a teacher or
other subordinates except for cause.

Section 5. public school teachers are

employed in accordance with pertinent
civil service rules, .if qualified,
subsequent permanent tenure, in
accordance with existing laws, and
provided, further that they are duly
registered and licensed professional
 ARTICLE VIII
(THE TEACHERS AND LEARNERS)

Section 1. A teacher has a right and duty to

determine the academic marks and the
promotion of learners in the subject they handle.

Section 2. interest and welfare of learners are

of first and foremost concern, and shall deal
justifiably and impartially with each of them.

Section 3. Under no circumstance shall a teacher

be prejudiced or discriminate against a learner.

Section 4. shall not accept favors or gifts from

learners, their parents or others in their behalf
in exchange for requested concessions,
 ARTICLE VIII
(THE TEACHERS AND LEARNERS)

Section 5. shall not accept, directly or

indirectly, any remuneration from
tutorials other what is authorized for such
service.

Section 6. evaluation of the learner

must be based on work only in merit and
quality of academic performance.

Section 7. where mutual attraction and

subsequent love develop between teacher
and learner, the teacher shall exercise
 ARTICLE VIII
(THE TEACHERS AND
LEARNERS)

Section 8. shall not inflict corporal

punishment on offending learners nor
make deductions from their
scholastic ratings as a punishment
for acts which are clearly not
manifestation of poor scholarship.

Section 9. A teacher shall ensure that

conditions contribute to the
maximum development of learners
are adequate, and shall extend
 ARTICLE IX
(THE TEACHERS AND PARENTS)

Section 1. establish and maintain cordial

relations with parents, and shall conduct
himself to merit their confidence and respect.

Section 2. shall inform parents, through

proper authorities, of the progress and
deficiencies of learner under him, exercising
utmost candor and tact in pointing out the
learner's deficiencies

Section 3. A teacher shall hear parent

complaints with sympathy and understanding,
and shall discourage unfair criticism.
 ARTICLE X
(THE TEACHER AND THE BUSINESS)

Section 1. A teacher has the right to

engage, directly or indirectly, in
legitimate income generation; provided
that it does not relate to or adversely
affect his work as a teacher.

Section 2. maintain a good reputation

with respect to the financial matters such
as in the settlement of his debts and
loans in arranging satisfactorily his
private financial affairs.
 ARTICLE X
(THE TEACHER AND THE BUSINESS)

Section 3. No teacher shall act, directly

or indirectly, as agent of, or be
financially interested in, any commercial
venture which furnish textbooks and
other school commodities in the
purchase and disposal of which he can
exercise official influence, except only
when his assignment is inherently,
related to such purchase and disposal;
provided they shall be in accordance
with the existing regulations; provided,
 ARTICLE XI
(THE TEACHER AS A PERSON)

Section 1. highest obligation to live with

dignity in all places at all times.
Section 2. self-respect and self-discipline as
the principle of personal behavior in all
relationships with others and in all
situations.
Section 3. maintain at all times a dignified
personality which could serve as a
model worthy of emulation by learners,
peers and all others.
Section 4. always recognize the Almighty
God as guide of his own destiny and of
the destinies of men and nations.
 ARTICLE XII
(DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS)

Section 1. Any violation of any provision

of this code shall be sufficient ground for
the imposition against the erring teacher
of the disciplinary action consisting of
revocation of his Certification of
Registration and License as a Professional
Teacher, suspension from the practice of
teaching profession, or reprimand or
cancellation of his temporary/special
permit under causes specified in Sec. 23,
Article III or R.A. No. 7836, and under
 ARTICLE XIII
(EFFECTIVITY)

Section 1. This Code shall take

effect upon approval by the
Professional Regulation
Commission and after sixty (60)
days following its publication in the
Official Gazette or any newspaper
of general circulation, whichever is
earlier.
 REFERENCES AND READING
MATERIALS

Books
Duka, Cecilio D. (2008). The Law and the Teaching Profession in the
Philippines, C & E Publishing
Civil Service Commission (2007). Omnibus Rules Implementing Book
V of Executive Order No.292 and Other Pertinent Civil Service Laws,
Civil Service.
Salandanan, Gloria G. (2001). Teacher Education Journal, Katha
Publishing, Inc.
Sunga, Franklin C.,(2010). Q&A On Governance for Basic Education
and Regulations Governing Public Schools

Website
http://eduphil.org/code-of-ethics-for-teachers-in-the-philippines.html
http://saicebrian.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/code-of-ethics-for-
professional- teachers/

SELECTED READING MATERIAL

Civil Service Commission (2001). Manual on Definitions of